An increasingly ambiguous world impacts all of us. Effectively dealing with ambiguity is a life skill and a contemporary business imperative for employees and leaders at all levels and businesses of any size. Having a reliable way to clarify role ambiguity helps avoid costly mistakes and improve workplace performance. Unclear roles and responsibilities are one common stressor. Whether being asked to do more with less or reporting to a new leader, when employees feel unsure how to prioritize their work, it increases stress. Evidence from a global study by Gallup revealed that 49% of leaders and 42% of non-managers are struggling with anxiety at work. So, how can you reduce role ambiguity? Here is one simple yet powerful tool busy leaders can successfully apply to deal with role ambiguity and workplace stress. The costly effects of not dealing with workplace ambiguity As the world changes, businesses and individuals must change too. Organizational change s increase the opportunity for role ambiguity and workplace stress. Role ambiguity is described as one employee's understanding of their job or organizational objectives being different from another's, leading to an unproductive workplace conflict or wasted efforts. Poor communications, unclear policies, or a general lack of workplace relationships are typical sources of role ambiguity. Several studies have demonstrated that role ambiguity has significant negative personal and workplace results. One such study within the Big Four Public Accounting Firms showed that organizational role ambiguity led to: decreased performance increased work stress increased employee turnover In this study, role ambiguity significantly increased anxiety and physical and psychological stress at an individual level. Role ambiguity increases non-productive conflict and employee burnout even when a team has good working relationships. How to deal with ambiguity A RACI matrix is a simple and powerful tool for effectively dealing with role ambiguity. I have used this tool at the organization, team, and individual levels, enhancing role clarity, improved workload balance, and improved decision-making. RACI is an acronym for responsible, accountable, consult with, and informed. Each letter represents the roles and degree of involvement for a given organizational role or task: R esponsible: Who is ultimately responsible for doing the task? A ccountable: Who is the decision-maker accountable for ensuring that the job is successfully completed? C onsult with: Who needs to know the details and requirements so they can provide meaningful input to the task I nformed: Who needs to be kept aware of task updates? An essential part of organizational consulting is helping individuals and teams gain clarity during change and dealing with role ambiguity created by the changes. Applying a RACI template with a given change initiative is not intended to substitute for a robust change management plan. Instead, this tool creates additional awareness and understanding to support a change. 4 Steps to create a powerful RACI Matrix Here are four steps to creating a RACI matrix for dealing with role ambiguity. RACI Creation Step 1: Select a team As with most initiatives, selecting the right team members to be involved is essential to creating the most value. A critical quality step is to engage those closest to the work in creating the RACI. Additionally, you will want to include the manager and potentially the executive sponsor for the role. RACI Creation Step 2: Identify tasks associated with the target role Start with a high-level outline. A job description can be a good starting point. Then, go back and break down the tasks into subtasks. For example, you could argue that an essential task for a knowledge worker is to turn on their computer. However, is it worthwhile to clarify who is responsible for this activity? This likely goes without saying. Getting too granular too early in creating the RACI can paralyze the team and overcomplicate the work. RACI Creation Step 3: Align groups and individuals with RACI designations Review each task and identify the individual or group associated with each RACI designation. At this step, there will likely be differences of opinion. It is crucial to surface these differences and pursue consensus. A common cause of the differences can come from differences of opinion on what is meant by definitions such as responsible vs. accountable. To help the team work through the differences, it is a good practice to write down the definitions and have them available to the team. RACI Creation Step 4: Walk the matrix After you create the RACI matrix, it is helpful to have those involved simulate a task and confirm with each responsible group that the level of their involvement is appropriate and that no groups or essential details that should be included were left out. It is easy to forget tasks when building these in a meeting. It's like taking a familiar route to work daily and forgetting to recall the railroad tracks or stoplights you go through. When conflict is associated with ambiguity, you should consider utilizing an external facilitator. Establishing trust and clarifying expectations is an essential starting point for creating a valuable outcome. The following short video provides a good overview and example of using a RACI matrix. RACI Matrix example I am a fan of the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian. In the table below, I have used some key season one episode events to explain the RACI Matrix. "This is the way." When you have organizational or leadership development needs you cannot solve independently, we're ready to partner with you to craft a solution specific to your organization's context and challenges. Getting started is as easy as visiting www.organizationaltalent.com or contacting us via email at info@organizationaltalent.com to schedule a meeting. References: Amiruddin, A. (2019). The mediating effect of work stress on the influence of time pressure, work-family conflict, and role ambiguity on audit quality reduction behavior. International Journal of Law and Management, 61(2), 434-454. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. McCormak, N. (2013). Managing burnout in the workplace: A guide for information professionals. Science Direct. Chandos Publishing. Wigert, B., & Pendell, R. (2023). 6 Trends Leaders Need to Navigate This Year. Gallup Workplace.

Uncertainty tests espoused values. It's a trial by fire. Unfortunately, new evidence suggests most leaders are not weathering this test well. Gallup's global workplace study found that only three in ten employees are engaged, and over half are quietly quitting. McKenzie & Company found that less than half of the workforce experiences a positive workplace climate, and only 38% of employees believe that the company prioritizes people over profits. According to CEOs representing America's top companies, shareholder value is no longer the primary objective. Taking action amid increasing uncertainty with an increasingly diverse workforce requires leaders to adapt. As the adage goes, what got you here will not get you there. If you are not continually growing, you are falling behind. Here is what you need to know about the similarities and differences in motivations and characteristics behind four emerging 21st-century leadership styles. A reimagined business purpose Did you hear? The purpose of business changed. The Business Roundtable, made up of 181 prominent US CEOs, has recently restated the purpose of a corporation. The purpose of business is "investing in employees, delivering value to customers, dealing ethically with suppliers and supporting outside communities." Fitzgerald While attention-grabbing, it's not too shocking, given that value creation comes from serving multiple stakeholders. Here is a short video discussing the change and its merits. It is not new for the Business Roundtable to suggest that investing in employees and communities is essential to generating shareholder value. However, because words matter, they decided that the current language was inconsistent with how CEOs strive to run modern businesses. The change has generated some debate. In response, members have clarified that the new purpose statement is not abandoning capitalism but a call to action to ensure benefits are shared. The desire is to encourage boards to focus better on creating long-term value by serving investors, employees, communities, suppliers, and customers. Why your leadership style matters I am a scientist by training, and my hypothesis is that leadership habits are life-changing. Effective leadership  affects the personal and professional results you achieve and the quality of your life. The costs of poor leadership often manifest in the workplace as low employee engagement, a lack of team cohesion and collaboration, high employee turnover, and failed execution. Good leadership can make a success out of a weak plan, but ineffective leadership can destroy a business with a great strategic plan. According to Jim Collins in the book Good to Great, a review of 1,435 companies studied over more than forty years revealed that leadership effectiveness accounts for up to 6.9 times greater returns than market averages. Emerging Leadership Theories and Styles Leadership style refers to a leader's inner game characteristics and outer game habits when leading. Servant leadership, transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and spiritual leadership are emerging 21st-century leadership styles gaining increased attention. The following comparisons highlight the differences between each style's motivations and characteristics to provide a better understanding of leadership style. Comparing Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership While similar to servant leadership, the central focus of transformational leadership is organizational benefit, while servant leadership's primary focus is serving others (see Table 1). Comparing Servant Leadership and Authentic Leadership In contrast to servant leadership, authentic leadership focuses on the leader being who they were created to be. Authentic leadership and servant leadership share similarities of leading with the heart and humility. However, the critical difference between these two leadership styles is the difference in the leader's focus (see Table 2). Comparing Servant Leadership and Spiritual Leadership While spiritual leadership and servant leadership share the most similarities among the four leadership styles, they are distinctly different. Spiritual leadership focuses on motivating, which is very different from servant leadership. Both spiritual leadership and servant leadership styles share the characteristics of love, vision, and altruism (see Table 3). In summary, Servant Leadership is a choice to serve first, placing the good of the follower ahead of self-interests. Transformational leadership taps into followers' motivations to better achieve the goals of the leader and followers. Authentic Leadership is about the leader and leadership being real, as implied by its name. Spiritual Leadership incorporates calling and membership with vision and value congruence to motivate the leader and follower. The world desperately needs a new approach to leadership, and these four distinct emerging leadership styles provide answers. What is your real leadership challenge? Are you ready to better understand your leadership style and maximize your potential? Take our Leadership Style Inventory assessment. Leaders discover their preferred leadership style through forced-choice responses to various real-world leadership scenarios. You'll receive a personalized one-page report that will give you a new understanding of your leadership style. Engage in a powerful virtual or in-person executive coaching partnership. Our executive coaching programs are tailored to address your leadership goals and development needs. In addition to the leadership style inventory, coaching consists of a pre/post leadership 360 survey to reveal blind spots and hidden strengths and measure your growth. A typical program includes nine to twelve coaching sessions. Apply your new leadership insights. Now, it's time to use what you have learned to maximize your leadership potential and get more out of life and work. Inquire about pricing and learn more about the leadership style inventory and executive coaching. References: Bennis, W. G. (1959). Leadership theory and administrative behavior: The problem of authority. Administrative Science Quarterly, 4 (3), 259- 301. Bass, B. M. (2000). The future of leadership in learning organizations. Journal of Leadership Studies , 7(3), 18-40. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Fitzgerald, M. (2019). The CEOs of nearly 200 companies said shareholder value is no longer their primary objective. CNBC Markets. Fry, L. W. (2003). Toward a theory of spiritual leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 14 (6), 693-727. George, B. (2003). Authentic leadership: Rediscovering the secrets to creating lasting value John Wiley & Sons. Greenleaf, R. K., & Spears, L. C. (2002). Servant-leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th-anniversary ed.). Paulist Press. Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice seventh edition. Sage. Patterson, K. (2003, October 16). Servant-leadership: A theoretical model [PDF]. Regent University School of Leadership Studies Servant-leadership Research Roundtable.

Star Wars presents an epic struggle between the light and dark side of the force. This special-effects-laden movie saga produced over ten billion dollars of revenue for Disney. However, in the workplace, the made-for-movie behaviors of dark personality traits are not the same. A dark personality sits in between what is considered a normal personality and clinical pathology. Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy make up the Dark Triad. These dark personality types are proven to increase costly, counterproductive work behaviors, such as sabotage, bullying, sexual harassment, fraud, employee theft, and absenteeism. In The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda tells Luke, "If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny." Is the same true for leaders? This article provides six dark-side countermeasures for your team and what to do if you work with or for someone with a dark personality. What is a dark personality? Like in Star Wars, the use of the word dark has a chilling effect. Before discussing the meaning of "dark" personality, it is helpful to understand what personality is. According to the American Phycological Association: Personality refers to the individual differences in the characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. While research into the dark side of personality has increased in recent years, there is little consensus on what makes a personality feature dark. However, the following working definition is widely accepted: A dark personality is socially undersireable and linked with interpersonal challenges and potentially destructive organizational behaviors such as aggression, manipulation, and exploitation. Dark side personality traits are proven to increase the likelihood of leadership failure. In contrast, normal personality characteristics are proven to be catalysts for positive organizational results. What is the Dark Triad Modern research into dark personality has focused on the three particularly offensive but nonpathological personality types. The Dark Triad is made up of Machiavelianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Machiavellianism refers to a personality type that is a master manipulator. They are described as calculating, conniving, deceptive, and lacking empathy. A manipulative quote you could expect to hear from a Machiavellian is attributed to P. T. Barnum, "there's a sucker born every minute." Machiavellianism is associated with increased counterproductive workplace behavior and a lack of conscientiousness in the workplace. It is worth noting; however, at least one study revealed positive and negative effects from this dark side personality type. A survey of over 600 working adults from various industries found that Machiavellianism negatively influenced if employees would go above and beyond the expectations of the job for the betterment of their colleagues and the organization. Narcissism refers to a highly self-involved personality. Narcissists have an inflated sense of importance, a high need for attention and admiration, and a fragile ego susceptible to the faintest criticism. You would expect to hear from a narcissist that they don't care what you think unless it is about them. In a Cornell University workplace study, narcissists supported hierarchical organizational structures when they were at the top or expected to get to the top quickly. In another study of over 2,700 working adults, narcissism was the dominant predictor of counterproductive workplace behavior among the dark triad personality types. Counterproductive workplace behavior (CWB) is simply any behavior that undercuts business goals and aspirations. Psychopathy refers to a personality type marked by thrill-seeking with unusually low anxiety, a lack of empathy, antisocial behavior, a lack of guilt, and an absence of conscience. A representative quote you would expect from this personality type is attributed to actor James Marsters, "I am a psychopath, but I don't have a problem with that." According to researchers, psychopaths are "appreciating liabilities" that account for 1.15 trillion in annual costs due to coworker and organizational fallout in the workplace. Here is a short video that explains how the Dark Personality Triad types are similar yet distinctly different. Do you have Dark Triad tendencies? After reading to this point, you might wonder if you (or someone you know) have Dark Triad tendencies. If so, here is a link to a free Short Dark Triad assessment developed by Delroy Paulhus and Daniel Jones, strictly for educational and entertainment purposes. After taking the assessment, you will receive a detailed report. Can you change your personality? Or is it true what Yoda told Luke that if you start down the dark path, it forever will dominate your destiny? Luckily, there is hope. The Big Five personality traits serve as the building blocks of personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Evidence suggests that making personality trait changes through persistent and deliberate interventions is possible. There is more than one way to make changes. Here are a few proven talent management suggestions to counter dark personality behaviors in the workplace. Countermeasure #1: Organizational Culture Your workplace culture influences everything. For example, narcissists are less likely to demonstrate counterproductive workplace behaviors in a collectivist culture, where self-serving behaviors are not rewarded. Consider using a culture assessment to discover how your company culture is reinforcing desired workplace behavior. Countermeasure #2: Executive A ssessments When you know yourself, you have the insight to recognize bad leadership habits and make transformational changes that deliver proven results. The higher you move within an organization, the less objective the feedback you tend to receive; however, it becomes more critical personally and professionally. Executive assessments can provide deep insights into areas that, with attention, lead to enhanced potential. The NEO-PI-R is a measure of the Five-Factor Model (FFM) that provides a systematic assessment of normal personality and insight into facets of the Dark Triad. Countermeasure #3: Executive Coaching Combining executive coaching with assessments is proven to create positive outcomes. Most people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence, improved work performance, relationships, and more effective communication skills. Most companies report recouping their coaching investment through enhanced business outcomes. Countermeasure #4: Performance Reviews Chances are you are not as good at performance management as you think. When providing performance feedback to dark personality types, it is helpful to precisely communicate the desired behaviors in the context of achieving organizational goals and supporting team cohesion. Making it clear that company performance is the desired outcome. Countermeasure #5: Reward and Recognition Don't fall into the trap of believing that any recognition is better than no recognition. Know what motivates employees and don't reinforce the wrong behaviors. Machiavellians are concerned with impression management. Tightly aligning reward systems with desired behaviors will make them more appealing and encourage their behavior toward team cohesion. Make recognition a leadership habit . Countermeasure #6: Training Bringing out the best in all personality types includes employee learning and development opportunities . Research demonstrates that investments into development at critical career transition points effectively influence dark personality types. Helping employees understand appropriate work expectations and behaviors can help organizations avoid costly mistakes. The adverse effects of dark personality types on others and the organization (e.x., sabotage, bullying, sexual harassment, fraud, employee theft, and absenteeism) demand that organizational leadership take responsibility for change. What if you work with or for someone with a dark personality? Dark personalities in the general population are not common, typically less than one percent. However, they do exist, and most of us have some dark personality tendencies. The good news is that people can change if they want to change. The bad news is that you can not make them change. Here are a few thoughts to consider before taking an action you regret. Start with checking your MVP . Your motivation, vision, and perspective for this relationship moderate the effectiveness of your actions. If you have a positive MVP about this coworker or leader, you are more likely to have a positive outcome if you try to work on the relationship. When you don't have a positive MVP, you are less likely to be effective in your ability to work with them. Motivation. Is your motivation about caring for them? Or is your motivation to be right? Reasons for a conversation matter. It is less likely an action you take will lead to positive changes without a positive reason. Vision. How do you see the conversation's result going? Is it the best of what might be? Or is what you see a list of all the things that could go wrong? Anticipating a positive step in the journey provides a sense of purpose and direction to inspire your best and achieve success. Perspective. When the lens through which you perceive a relationship is off, your results will turn out poorly. Is your paradigm of a healthy relationship? Or is your perspective that it is best to avoid the relationship? Next, consider your options. You can accept the relationships for what they are, work to redefine the relationships or find a new place to work with different people. Although you can not make them change, you do have options, and it is essential to remember that you are in control of what and if you take action. Shifting your mindset allows new perspectives and presents a never-ending opportunity to grow and achieve new heights in life and work. An effective executive coach will challenge assumptions and encourage, stretch, and challenge you. What you should read next about dark personality types If you enjoyed learning about the Dark Triad, you would likely enjoy reading The Dark Side of Personality: Science and Practice in Social, Personality, and Clinical Psychology by Virgil Zeigler-Hill. In this book, the author goes beyond the Dark Triad to address another dark side of personality traits such as spite, authoritarianism, and perfectionism. Another book you might like is Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work by authors Paul Babiak and Robert D. Hare. These authors discuss the impact of psychopaths in the workplace and provide practical tools to help you avoid getting bit by them. Key Points: Darkside personality types are proven to increase costly, counterproductive work behaviors, such as sabotage, bullying, sexual harassment, fraud, employee theft, and absenteeism. Dark personalities negatively impact teams and organizational outcomes. Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy dark personality types make up the Dark Triad. Narcissism is the dominant predictor of counterproductive workplace behavior among the dark triad personality types. It is possible to change dark personality traits through persistent interventions. If you have organizational culture or leadership development needs you cannot solve independently, we're ready to partner with you to craft a solution specific to your organization's context and challenges. Getting started is as easy as visiting www.organizationaltalent.com or contacting us via email at info@organizationaltalent.com. References: Anderson, N. E., & Kiehl, K. A. (2014). Psychopathy: developmental perspectives and their implications for treatment. Restorative neurology and neuroscience , 32 (1), 103–117. Becker, J. & O'Hair, D. (2007). Machiavellians' motives in organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Applied Communication Research. 35 (3). Pp. 246-267. Burke, R.J. (2006). Why leaders fail: Exploring the darkside. International Journal of Manpower , 27 (1), pp. 91-100. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Michalak, R. T., & Ashkanasy, N. M. (2020). Working with monsters: Counting the costs of workplace psychopaths and other toxic employees. Accounting and Finance (Parkville), 60 (S1), 729-770. Psychology Topics. (2021). Personality. American Psychological Association . Spain, S., Harms, P. & Lebreton, J. (2013). The dark side of personality at work. of Organizational Behavior . 35 , S41-S60. Zitek, E. M., & Jordan, A. H. (2016). Narcissism predicts support for hierarchy: At least when narcissists think they can rise to the top. Social Psychological and Personality Science , 7 (7), 707–716.

What sets a data-driven organization apart? Evidence suggests better revenue and customer value. Data-driven organizations are better equipped to make decisions and take the right actions. Today's generative AI is driving a data revolution. Recent evidence suggests that the percentage of data-driven organizations has recently doubled, an increase greater than at any time before. But, unlocking the full potential of what is possible with data analytics requires a talent strategy tightly aligned with your company's strategy. Executives with the right analytics infrastructure and the right talent in the right place have a significant competitive advantage. To avoid falling behind and making costly mistakes, here are two essential talent strategy steps you need to take now. Talent Strategy Step #1: Identify the right analytical skill sets After establishing your data analytics strategy that is tightly aligned with the organization's mission and culture, you need to determine the roles and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the talent most critical to meeting the needs. Analytical skills include more than the obvious need for technical competence with applications for modeling, forecasting, and statistical analysis, such as SPSS, R, and Python. Analytical skill sets also need to include: negotiating consulting communication developing others quantitative analysis Also, organizations need analytical leadership at every level, not just in the CTO or IT department. In data-driven organizations, leaders need to: Develop the analytical capabilities of your team Set strategy with analytic performance metrics Seek out and exploit quick wins for analytics Possess a passion for data analytics Take a long-term view of analytics Grow their analytical networks Work across the business Leaders and employees with the right skills are shaping the future of the workplace. There is a high demand for employees with data analytics skills, and it is very challenging to source, recruit, and retain those who possess these analytical attributes. The World Economic Forum suggests that as technology utilization increases, the in-demand skills across jobs will continue to shift over the next five to ten years. The table below shows the expected employee skills from 2015 to 2030. Having the right talent strategy begins with getting clear on the analytical skills your organization needs to support its culture and data analytics strategy so you can effectively source and develop the best and most creative talent. Talent Strategy Step #2: Align your analytical organization An organization's culture and having enough of the right talent with the right skills in the right places is essential. Architecting culture is an essential activity for leaders. Having an analytical orientation within the organization's culture is vital to building a successful analytical organization. An organization's perceived value associated with analytics directly influences decisions on the best way to align analytical resources across the business. The following are six high-impact and low-cost culture levers leaders can pull to build an analytical cutlure orientation. Cutlure Lever #1 : What leaders pay attention to regularly. This is one of the most potent mechanisms every leader has in your company. What leaders choose to measure, reward, and control matters, and the opposite is also true. For example, a great starting point is to ask leaders what data they use to make decisions. By asking the question, you reinforce the importance of data-driven decision-making. Culture Lever #2 : How leaders react to critical incidents. Much can be revealed when a business or a leader faces a significant challenge. Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the face." These crucible moments in business are like a refining fire. It is the heightened emotional intensity that increases individual and organizational learning. Culture Lever #3 : How leaders allocate resources and control costs. Budgets reveal a lot about the organization's assumptions and beliefs. Resources include physical assets such as equipment, tools, and human resources. What gets resourced gets reinforced. Leaders should consider what tools and resources employees have available for data analytics. Culture Lever #4 : Deliberate role modeling and training. How  leaders act and behave outside of training is more significant than what is said or demonstrated within leadership development events . Leaders looking to build an analytical cultural orientation would benefit by explaining to and showing the organization how they use data to make decisions on a routine basis. Culture Lever #5 : How leaders allocate rewards. Rewards and recognition come in many different forms. Also, what is considered a reward varies from person to person. What gets rewarded, how it gets rewarded, and what does not reinforce organizational culture. There are tangible rewards and social rewards. Simply saying thank you for presenting a decision using data analytics is a social reward. Culture Lever #6 : How leaders recruit, promote, and excommunicate.   Who gets hired, promoted, and fired , and for what creates and reinforces organizational culture. Talent management decisions can be viewed as a more subtle nuance to culture change because decisions are influenced by explicitly stated criteria and unstated value priorities. A leader looking to influence an analytical cultural orientation would benefit from assessing the skill sets needed within the organization and then hiring based on those skills. Having a critical mass of analytical talent across the organization creates a tipping point. The following is a simple tool you can use to perform an organizational evaluation. You can then use the results of this evaluation to set hiring, development, and succession planning activities in support of your strategy. The evaluation involves counting the number of analytical talent resources across your organization and assessing their depth of analytical capability within three categories of tasks: Level 1: capable of workbench, standard reports, and alerts Level 2: capable of multidimensional analysis, analytical applications, and data visualization Level 3: capable of what-if planning, predictive modeling, and statistical analysis Note: This example is adapted from Davenport et al. (2010). It uses a talent competence scale rating from basic to advanced. Once you can visualize the organization's analytical talent structure, capacity, and capability, leveraging talent strengths and addressing opportunities is easier. The organizational design challenge is placing the analytical resources close enough to the business to focus on the most critical initiatives while still enabling mutual learning across the analytical resources. This organizational design decision needs to consider the organization's analytical culture orientation and maturity. References: Abina, A., Salaj, A., Cestnik, B., Karalič, A., Ogrinc, M., Lukman, R., & Zidansek, A. (2024). Challenging 21st-Century Competencies for STEM Students: Companies’ Vision in Slovenia and Norway in the Light of Global Initiatives for Competencies Development. Sustainability. 16. 1295. 10.3390/su16031295. Bughin, J., Hazan, E., Lund, S., Daholstrom, P., Wiesinger, A., & Subramaniam, A. (2018, May 23). Skill shift: Automation and the future of the workforce. McKinsey Global Institute. Davenport, T. H., Harris, J. G., & Morison, R. (2010). Analytics at work: Smarter decisions, better results . Harvard Business Press. MA. Deloitte. (2019). Deloitte survey: Analytics and data-driven culture help companies outperform business goals in the age of with’. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Grossman, R. L., & Siegel, K. P. (2014). Organizational models for big data and analytics. Journal of Organization Design (Aarhus), 3 (1), 20-25. Indeed.com. (2020, November 23). Analytical skills: definitions and examples. Indeed Career Guide. Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass. Tambe, P. (2014). Big data investment, skills, and firm value. Management Science, 60 (6), 1452-1469. Wallace, D. (2022). How Data Maturity and Product Analytics Improve Digital Experiences and Business Outcomes. IDC Research.

Without selfless love in the workplace, achieving the best of what might be is impossible. Stop and think about the implications of that statement for a moment. There is no serious debate that well-designed organizations with clear organizational strategies influence desired behaviors, culture, and performance. Numerous studies identify failure as often tied to misalignment between the organization and its operational environment. However, while organizational alignment is essential, it is also not sufficient. Selfless love brings out the best in how people think, act, and feel. If you want to start embracing selfless love as a leader in the workplace, you’ll need to start tapping into these four keys today. The benefits of selfless love in the workplace The well-documented individual and organizational benefits of selfless love include: Intrinsic motivation Increased creativity Discretionary effort Better workplace climate Enhanced employee capacity Enhanced leader-follower alignment Two complex challenges leaders face today are attracting and retaining top talent and creating inclusive workplaces that bring out the best in all employees. Diversity in the world and the workplace is increasing. Globalization and technological advances are projected to continue to increase workgroup diversity. This increase in diversity can have many positive workplace effects, such as enhanced performance, creativity, innovation , and decision quality. However, workplace practices rooted in favoritism are costly, leading to increased relational conflict and a lack of team cohesion. In-group favoritism results in actions that favor one group. When leaders demonstrate selfless love, they cultivate an organizational culture in which healthy and caring leader-follower relationships reduce the adverse effects of in-group and out-group differences. All you have to do is drive down any street or walk through your local retail district to see the signs for help wanted and understand the challenge of attracting and retaining the best and brightest employees. Organizational commitment is a term for identifying as an individual with a particular company. Evidence suggests that higher levels of organizational commitment are associated with lower employee turnover rates. Studies have demonstrated that selfless love enhances organizational commitment. The following short video from leadership guru Ken Blanchard provides some thoughts on the power of servant leadership in today's workplace. What is selfless love? Selflessness is being more concerned with the needs and desires of others than with your needs. And one of the best definitions I have come across for love in the workplace comes from St. Thomas Aquinas. "To love is to will the good of the other." St. Thomas Aquinas Selfless love in the workplace is to desire and put into action the will for the good of another ahead of your own interest . It is a radically different paradigm from a transactional worldview of the workplace. If you have nine minutes, the following video captures the essence of the meaning behind the definition used by St. Thomas Aquinas. Although the video does not use a workplace example, the intent of willing the good of the other is shown. The following poem, called "Outwitted" by Edwin Markha,m captures the belief that selfless love creates a radical sense of belonging for everyone: He drew a circle that shut me out—Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But Love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in! Are empathy and compassion different from selfless love? Empathy, compassion, and selfless love are interrelated, but distinct differences exist. Empathy is the ability to be aware of, feel, and take on the emotions of another person. It plays a vital role in moderating the effects of workplace conflict. Research has linked empathy with forgiveness and healing relationships. The following is a short video from Brene Brown that explains empathy and its value within the workplace. Compassion is an empathic understanding with a desire to help another person. Recent studies into the benefits of compassion at work link it to improved job performance, mental health, and leader-follower relationships. Although awareness (empathy) and a desire to help (compassion) are essential, the world needs leaders who prioritize the good of others over their own interests. Leaders who emphasize selfless love bring out the best in how people think, act, and feel in the workplace, leading to success and significance both personally and professionally. Tapping into selfless love Selfless love is not just something you are either born with or not. You can apply these four keys to cultivate selfless love in the workplace. Key #1: Measurement Selfless love is not just something you are either born with or not. Selfless love may seem complex and challenging to articulate, much less measure; however, validated measurement instruments exist. Muel Kaptein introduced and validated the Corporate Ethical Virtues Mode l, which measures virtues at the organizational level. Vincent Ng and colleagues expanded on the Comprehensive Inventory of Virtuous Instantiations of Character instrument by creating a valid multidimensional forced-choice individual character instrument. The Leadership Character Insights Assessment measures an individual's character through self-assessment or 360-degree assessment using behavioral anchors. The Values In Action (VIA) Survey is a free, 15-minute self-assessment that helps discover your greatest strengths. Key #2: Development Like leadership behaviors, selfless love can be developed. Evidence suggests that development specific to selfless love should include knowledge transfer, reasoning, and practice elements. Development primarily takes place through role modeling with intentional time for feedback. However, feedback on character gaps is not commonly provided in the workplace, given the complexity of these conversations. Evidence suggests that organizations can incorporate selfless love development into competency development programs. Separate programs focused only on character and virtue development are not required. Key #3: Reflection Most leaders spend little to no time reflecting on character experiences because of blind spots. A dedicated and skillful executive coach can improve character feedback and purposeful character reflection. Numerous studies have found that dedicated mentors can also support character development by openly reflecting on insights gained from their experience. Key #4: Leadership Style Servant leadership characteristics are practical ways for a leader to bring selfless love into the workplace : Listening to oneself and others Showing empathy Healing self and others Being aware Persuasion and not coercion Conceptual thinking, not linear thinking Applying strategic foresight Stewardship of others' needs Commitment to the development of others Building community Conversely, a traditional transactional leadership style adopts a top-down view of an organization with the leader at the top. Transactional leadership is based on the belief that employees perform best: Within a well-formed chain of command Rewards and punishments motivate Following the leader's directives is the employee's primary goal Transactional leaders give employees something they want in exchange for getting something they want. This leadership style adopts a mental model that workers are not self-motivated and require structure, instruction, and monitoring to achieve organizational goals correctly and on time. In stark contrast, when adopting a selfless love worldview, the leader desires to bring out the best in their followers by giving them the best of themself. A servant leadership style aligns well with selfless love. Are you a servant leader? Maybe you already understand the basic concepts but are unclear on how servant leadership differs from other contemporary leadership styles. The free Servant Leadership Style Checker answers these questions and provides your Servant Leadership Style Score. Take this free quiz to find out. Key Points: Selfless love in the workplace is to desire and put into action the will for the good of another ahead of your interests. When leaders demonstrate selfless love, they establish an organizational culture where healthy and caring leader-follower relationships break down the adverse effects of in-group and out-group differences. Selfless love enhances organizational commitment, productivity, job performance, and emotional well-being. Leaders who emphasize selfless love bring out the best in how people think, act, and feel in the workplace, leading to success and significance both personally and professionally. To gain a competitive advantage in an uncertain world, leadership needs to move beyond cultivating organizational strategy, design, and behaviors to include selfless love. References: Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Ferris, R. (1988). How organizational love can improve leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 16 (4), 41-51. Fry, L. W., Vitucci, S., & Cedillo, M. (2005). Spiritual leadership and army transformation: Theory, measurement, and establishing a baseline. The Leadership Quarterly, 16 (5), 835-862. Kaptein, M. (2008). Developing and testing a measure for the ethical culture of organizations: The corporate ethical virtues model. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29 (7), 923-947. Lok, P., & Crawford, J. (2004). The effect of organisational culture and leadership style on job satisfaction and organisational commitment: A cross‐national comparison. The Journal of Management Development, 23 (4), 321-338. Mulinge, P. (2018). Altruism and altruistic love: Intrinsic motivation for servant-leadership. The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 12 (1), 337-370. Ng, V., Lee, P., Ho, M. R., Kuykendall, L., Stark, S., & Tay, L. (2020). The development and validation of a multidimensional forced-choice format character measure: Testing the Thurstonian IRT approach. Journal of Personality Assessment, 1-14. Ran, Y., Liu, Q., Cheng, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Implicit-explicit power motives congruence and forgiveness in the workplace conflict: The mediating role of empathy. The International Journal of Conflict Management, 32 (3), 445-468. Seijts, G., Crossan, M., & Carleton, E. (2017). Embedding leader character into HR practices to achieve sustained excellence. Organizational Dynamics, 46 (1), 30-39. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.02.001 Van Knippenberg, D., De Dreu, Carsten K. W, & Homan, A. C. (2004). Work group diversity and group performance: An integrative model and research agenda. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89 (6), 1008-1022. Zachary, G. W. (2013). Spiritual leadership: Investigating the effects of altruistic love on organizational commitment. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 6 (2), 767.

Have you ever wondered what servant leadership is? Maybe you already understand the basic concepts. But have questions about how servant leadership differs from other leadership styles or if a servant leadership approach is appropriate for your team. The costs of poor leadership often show up in the workplace disguised as low employee engagement, a lack of team cohesion and collaboration, high employee turnover, and failed execution. Businesses need leaders who can take action amid growing uncertainty and operate effectively in a complex workplace with a diverse workforce. This article provides insights into the proven benefits of servant leadership for elevating leaders and empowering organizational excellence. It includes a case study of servant leadership from a global leader in the business services and supplies industry and a leadership style quiz. How Servant Leadership Makes a Difference in the Workplace There are several well-researched employee and company benefits associated with servant leadership, such as: performance productivity intrinsic motivation organizational citizenship behavior organizational alignment workplace climate employee capacity creativity A servant leader's selfless love for followers is a benefit multiplier. Evidence suggests that selfless love increases leader and follower commitment, yielding enhanced intrinsic motivation that amplifies workforce and business strategy alignment. Intrinsic motivation is also a moderating factor in employee engagement. It improved intrinsic motivation, resulting in higher levels of employee engagement. "Higher levels of intrinsic motivation cause people to do more and results in higher performance" Patterson In addition to enhancing what leaders expect, servant leadership unlocks the unexpected. Discretionary effort, also known as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), is increased by servant leadership. For example, consider two employees walking down a hall. Both employees see a piece of paper on the floor. Only one employee stops to pick it up, even though it is neither employee's responsibility. Servant leadership enhances the workplace climate, increases discretionary effort (unexpected worthy behaviors), and improves business results. No organization looks to stay the same year after year. Innovation is required to remain relevant and succeed in a fast-paced digital marketplace. Studies reveal that a servant leadership style improves employee productivity and creativity. Employees are more likely to provide constructive criticism and engage in productive conflict without fear of exclusion or retaliation. It is in this environment that employees can be creative. The Servant Leadership Style Described Most attribute Robert Greenleaf as the founder of servant leadership. He described a servant leader as a servant first and used the following test to answer the question: What's servant leadership? Would you pass this test? The best test, and difficult to administer, is: do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit, or, at least, will they not be further deprived. Greenleaf & Spears The following short video from leadership guru Ken Blanchard provides some additional insights into the potential of servant leadership in today's workplace. 10 Characteristics of a Servant Leader These ten characteristics are foundational to understanding the servant leadership style: Listening to self and others: Servant leaders use v erbal, nonverbal, and empathic listening to build trust and improve relationships. Displaying empathy: Servant leaders possess the ability to be aware of, feel, and take on another person's emotions. Empathy plays a vital role in moderating the effects of workplace conflict. Research has linked empathy with forgiveness and healing relationships. Healing: Servant leaders provide physical and emotional support to restore broken relationships and help hurt employees. Awareness: Both general awareness and self-awareness strengthen the leader's ability to understand issues involving ethics, power, and values holistically . Persuasion: Servant leaders rely on persuasion vs. positional power to make decisions. This is one of the most apparent differences between a servant leader and a traditional leader. Conceptual thinking: Servant leaders consider the best of what is and what can be by tapping into the team's dreams. Rather than solely focusing on the short-term, the servant leader can align followers with the company's purpose and vision of the organization. Strategic foresight: The goal is not to predict the future but to enable better decision-making and preparedness so leaders can grow revenue amid uncertainty. Stewardship of others' needs: Servant leaders hold others' needs in their trust while serving and influencing with persuasion. Commitment to follower development: Servant leaders see their followers' potential and value beyond their tangible contributions to the business. Building community: A community is defined by shared social identification among the members. Servant leaders recognize and take action to build community with those in the workplace. Creating shared social identity provides the missing link between employees feeling excluded and included. Employees are looking for leaders who demonstrate these behaviors. However, these characteristics alone do not fully capture servant leadership. 7 Virtues of Servant Leadership Like the operating system on your phone, the leader's inner game values and virtues moderate leadership effectiveness. While characteristics describe what a leader should do in a given situation, the leader's virtues and character determine what a leader will do. Virtues provide a foundation for the characteristics of a servant leader. The following are the seven virtues of a servant leader: Love: Doing the right thing at the right time and for the right reasons. Humility: Having a realistic self-image, others focused, being willing to listen, and being vulnerable. Altruism: Concerned for others' welfare and equity and derives pleasure from helping others. Vision: Able to see around the corners, understand follower capability, and possess a growth mindset. Trust : Having integrity, respect, transparency, and goodwill. Empowerment: Sharing power, teamwork, transparent expectations, goals, and responsibilities. Service: Choosing others over self and authentic. Comparing the motivations and dimensions of different leadership styles reveals similarities and differences, contributing to a deeper understanding of servant leadership. Servant Leadership vs. Transformational Leadership While similar to servant leadership, the primary focus of transformational leadership is the organizational benefit. The emphasis of servant leadership is on service to the follower. The table below displays the motivations and dimensions of servant and transformational leadership. Servant Leadership vs. Authentic Leadership In contrast to servant leadership, authentic leadership focuses on the leader being who they were created to be—authentic leadership and servant leadership overlap in dimensions of leading with heart and humility. The critical difference between these two contemporary leadership approaches is the difference in the leader's focus on themselves for authentic leadership and others for servant leadership—the table below displays servant and authentic leadership motivations and dimensions. Servant Leadership vs. Spiritual Leadership Spiritual leadership is distinctly different from servant leadership, although it is the most similar theory of the four contemporary leadership theories discussed. Spiritual leadership focuses on motivating the leader and others, which contrasts with service to others in servant leadership. Both spiritual leadership and servant leadership theories share the dimensions of love, vision, and altruism. The following table displays the motivations and dimensions of servant and spiritual leadership. A Servant Leadership Example in Business Sodexo's journey provides excellent examples of servant leadership in business. Headquartered in France, Sodexo is the leader in the global business services and supplies industry. It started as a family-run business in Marseilles, France. Since its beginning in 1966, Sodexo's mission, values, and ethical principles have guided its people-focused actions around service. This global organization of over 470,000 employees is located in 67 countries and served 100 million consumers daily in 2019. While Sodexo does not explicitly state servant-leadership, the organization's mission and leaders align with servant-leadership characteristics. Here are some examples: Sodexo measures employee quality of life as the employee's physical environment , health and wellbeing, social interaction, recognition, ease and efficiency, and personal growth. Sodexo considers the lifestyles of its employees globally and encourages work flexibility to promote improved performance for clients and customers. Sarosh Mistry , Region Chair for North America and Chief Executive Officer, suggested that improved performance starts with ensuring an excellent quality of life for Sodexo employees. Sylvia Metayer, Chief Growth Officer, humbly stated, "I am learning that to be a CEO is to be a servant." Sodexo's senior leadership shares a servant focus. The following table provides examples of servant leadership from Sarosh Mistry and Sylvia Metayer, two members of the Sodexo Executive Committee. Sarosh indicated that Sodexo looks for leaders who motivate employees through service by giving back to the communities they serve. A servant-leader understands that leaders can use power to serve others' needs through performance. Servant Leadership Quotes "Leadership is an extreme sport requiring both courage and humility." Cheryl Bachelder, Former CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. "Listen, show compassion, and ask for feedback." Liz Theophill, Chief Technology & Digital Officer at Novartis AG "How you get the results is more important than the results themselves." Art Barter, CEO, Datron World Communications, Inc. It is no longer acceptable for corporate leadership to be blind to their followers' needs and the communities where they live and work. People are looking to business leaders to help remove barriers that impact meeting their own needs. Servant leadership, an emerging 20th-century leadership style, provides solutions to today's dilemmas. Take Our Servant Leader Quiz Take this free quiz to learn if your leadership style aligns with servant leadership. References Alba, R. (2018). What majority-minority society? A critical analysis of the Census Bureau's projections of America's demographic future. Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 4 . Bass, B. M. (2000). The future of leadership in learning organizations. Journal of Leadership Studies , 7(3), 18-40. Becchetti, L., Castriota, S., & Tortia, E. C. (2013). Productivity, wages, and intrinsic motivations. Small Business Economics, 41 (2), 379-399. Bennis, W. G. (1959). Leadership theory and administrative behavior: The problem of authority. Administrative Science Quarterly, 4 (3), 259- 301. Boerma, M. Coyle, E., Dietrich, M. Dintzner, M., Drayton, S., Early II, J., Edginton, A., Horlen, C. Kirkwood, C., Lin, A., Rager, M., Shah-Manek, B., Welch, A., & Williams, N. (2017). Point/Counterpoint: Are outstanding leaders born or made? American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 81 (3), 58. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Kirkwood, C., Lin, A., Rager, M., Shah-Manek, B., Welch, A., & Williams, N. (2017). Point/Counterpoint: Are outstanding leaders born or made? American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 81 (3), 58. Ferris, R. (1988). How organizational love can improve leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 16 (4), 41-51. Fry, L. W. (2003). Toward a theory of spiritual leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 14 (6), 693-727. George, B. (2003). Authentic leadership: Rediscovering the secrets to creating lasting value . John Wiley & Sons. Greenleaf, R. K., & Spears, L. C. (2002). Servant-leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th-anniversary ed.). Paulist Press. Hassell, B. (2017). What do today's workforce trends mean for business, leadership? Chief Learning Officer. Kwittken, A. (2020, May 4). Moving from service leadership to servant-leadership during a pandemic: A conversation with Sodexo North America chair Sarosh Mistry [Audio podcast]. Brand on Purpose . Mittal, R., & Dorfman, P. W. (2012). Servant leadership across cultures. Journal of World Business, 47 (4), 555-570. Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (Seventh Edition ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. Patterson, K. (2003, October 16). Servant-leadership: A theoretical model [PDF]. Regent University School of Leadership Studies Servant-leadership Research Roundtable. Shu, C. (2015). The impact of intrinsic motivation on the effectiveness of leadership style towards on work engagement. Contemporary Management Research, 11 (4), 327-349. Sodexo. (2019). Fiscal 2019 universal registration document [PDF] . LABRADOR. Sodexo. (2020). About Us. https://us.sodexo.com/about-us.html Trompenaars, A., & Voerman, E. (2010). Servant leadership across cultures: Harnessing the strength of the world's most powerful management philosophy . McGraw-Hill. Van Dierendonck, D., & Patterson, K. (2010). Servant-leadership: Developments in theory and research . Palgrave Macmillan. Walumbwa, F., Hartnell, C., & Oke, A. (2010). Servant-leadership, procedural justice climate, service climate, employee attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: A cross-level investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95 (3). Wallace, J. R. (2007) Servant-leadership: A worldview perspective. The International Journal of Leadership Studies. 2 (2). Winston, B. E. (2003). Extending Patterson's servant-leadership model: Explaining how leaders and followers interact in a circular model . Regent University School of Leadership Studies Servant-leadership Research Roundtable. Winston, B. & Ryan, B. (2008). Servant-leadership as a Humane Orientation: Using the GLOBE Study Construct of Humane Orientation to Show that Servant-leadership is More Global than Western. International Journal of Leadership Studies , Vol. 3 Iss. 2, pp. 212-222.

Whether you're the CEO or a frontline leader, financial performance is a measure of effectiveness. But how do you improve bottom-line performance amid economic uncertainty and the reality that only 3 in 10 employees are engaged? One key is self-awareness. A study involving 486 companies found it moderated business success and poor-performing businesses had 20% more leaders with blind spots. Unfortunately, self-awareness is rare in leadership. A global study found that 95% of leaders think they are self-aware. Still, only 10-15% met the criteria to be considered self-aware on essential leadership competencies related to empathy, trustworthiness, and leadership performance. When you can't see yourself objectively and don't accurately understand the perspectives of others, you can't make the transformational changes necessary for business growth. Here are two proven strategies to increase leadership self-awareness and the signs when it might be lacking. Why leadership self-awareness matters Recently, Korn Ferry established a positive connection between self-awareness and improved company earnings. A study of 486 companies over 30 months found that organizations with a higher percentage of self-aware leaders outperformed organizations with a lower rate. Poor-performing businesses had 20 percent more leaders with blind spots than high-performing businesses. The importance of self-awareness for achieving success and significance is not new. The researched benefits of knowing yourself are numerous beyond improving a business's bottom line. Some of these include: higher quality leadership relationships improved self-control better decision-making enhanced life satisfaction .⁠ In today's increasingly complex and culturally diverse workplace , leaders who can accurately perceive, assess, and regulate their own and others' emotions can better promote unity and team morale⁠. Studies have demonstrated that followers perceive leaders with heightened emotional intelligence as effective. Also, increased awareness may enable leaders to create shared emotional experiences that enhance personal and follower growth, well-being, and psychological safety. Leaders are better prepared to adapt appropriately when they possess a heightened self-awareness. Self-awareness in leadership It is natural to see the world from our unique point of view. We tell ourselves stories about our strengths and areas where we need to be better, as well as what is or is not good leadership. Leadership habits are shaped by past experiences and the words used to describe our actions. With good intentions, we set out to lead as best as possible. Then life happens, and for most of us, we realize we have blind spots and distortions that jeopardize our goals. “To know yourself, you must sacrifice the illusion that you already do.” Vironika Tugaleva Consider the passenger-side rearview mirror on a car. The required safety warning on the mirror states that objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. Also, these rear-view mirrors have blind spots. Distortions and blind spots can be hazardous to our well-being if what is seen and not seen is not interpreted within the proper context. Leaders can make bad decisions without understanding the wisdom of knowing their distortions and blind spots. How to become more self-aware The higher you move within any organization, the less objective feedback you receive. This makes knowing yourself even more critical and challenging. The last thing any leader needs in today's demanding workplace is someone or something telling them what they already know or what they perceive they want to hear. The better the quality of the feedback you receive, the better the decisions you can make. Leadership is a relationship, and it is vital to know what others think. When we only consider ourselves, we have an incomplete understanding. Self-Awareness Strategy #1: Leadership Assessment A 360-degree leadership assessment  is a type of multi-rater instrument that collects feedback from multiple sources relative to the leader's position within an organization. Typically, the questions in a 360-degree assessment are focused on leadership performance, skills, and contributions. While 360-degree feedback effectively improves leadership skills across all cultures, it is most effective in cultures with low power distance and individualistic values, such as Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. “Look outside and you will see yourself. Look inside and you will find yourself.” Drew Gerald Self-Awareness Strategy #2: Executive Coaching Combined with leadership assessments, executive coaching helps reveal deep insights into areas that, with attention, lead to enhanced potential. Research supports that a coach's timely and appropriate use of leadership 360 assessments leads to improved self-awareness and organizational outcomes.⁠ Given that coaching's ultimate goal is to change within you, the process centers on using essential questions and client-centered critical thinking to invoke self-awareness and personal responsibility. Signs you might lack self-awareness Lacking self-awareness limits your specific ability to realize your professional and personal goals, like trying to navigate a ship without a sextant. Self-aware leaders are not naive about their accidental habits and are better positioned to develop life-changing leadership habits. Overestimating your ability can lead to negative consequences for your performance and the organization.⁠ Leaders who have a distorted view of their strengths and weaknesses usually cannot effectively regulate their emotions and behaviors. Research has demonstrated that the symptoms of a lack of self-awareness include negative consequences to your physical health, work performance, and social interactions. Signs of a lack of self-awareness include: Stalling career Lack of direction Absence of learning something new Surprised frequently by feedback from others Frequently make excuses Constantly firefighting and struggling with time management What is your real self-awareness challenge? Key summary points When you know yourself, you have the insight necessary to recognize leadership bad habits and make transformational changes that deliver proven results. Self-awareness means to know yourself so that you are able to see yourself objectively, you are aware of similarities and differences from others, and you understand the perspective from which you see others and the world. A study of 486 companies over 30 months demonstrated that organizations with a higher percentage of self-aware leaders outperformed organizations with a lower rate. Leaders can make bad decisions without understanding the wisdom of knowing their distortions and blind spots. The better the quality of the feedback you receive, the better the decisions you can make. Executive coaching combined with leadership 360 assessments help reveal deep insights into areas that, with attention, lead to enhanced potential. References Athanasopoulou, A., & Dopson, S. (2018). A systematic review of executive coaching outcomes: Is it the journey or the destination that matters the most ? The Leadership Quarterly , 29(1), 70-88. Baldoni, J. (2013). Few executives are self-aware, but women have the edge. Harvard Business Review. Bratton, V. K., Dodd, N. G., & Brown, F. W. (2011). The impact of emotional intelligence on accuracy of self-awareness and leadership performance. Leadership & Organization Development Journal , 32(2), 127-149. Doolittle, J. (2024). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Performance. Organizational Talent Consulting. Goldstein, G., Allen, D. N., & Deluca, J. (2019). Handbook of psychological assessment . Elsevier Science & Technology. Gorgens-Ekermans, G., & Roux, C. (2021). Revisiting the emotional intelligence and transformational leadership debate: Does emotional intelligence matter to effective leadership? SA Journal of Human Resource Management , 19(2), e1-e13. June, C. (2020). 10 signs you lack self-awareness. Psych2Go. Oltmanns, T. F., Gleason, M. E. J., Klonsky, E. D., & Turkheimer, E. (2005). Meta-perception for pathological personality traits: Do we know when others think that we are difficult? Consciousness and Cognition , 14(4), 739-751. Pekaar, K. A., Bakker, A. B., van der Linden, D., & Born, M. P. (2018). Self- and other-focused emotional intelligence: Development and validation of the Rotterdam emotional intelligence scale (REIS). Personality and Individual Differences , 120, 222-233. Wilson, T. D., & Gilbert, D. T. (2005). Affective forecasting: Knowing what to want. Current Directions in Psychological Science: A Journal of the American Psychological Society , 14(3), 131-134. Zes, D., & Landis, D. (2013). A better return on self-awareness. Korn Ferry Institute .

Think back to the last big decision your team faced. What were the options considered? How was the choice made? A recent extensive survey conducted by PWC revealed that data-driven companies are three times more likely to make better decisions than businesses that are not. Decision-making is a significant part of leadership; many depend on your decisions. Without good choices, companies and leaders can't thrive. But, studies reveal that more than half of us rely on intuition to make significant decisions. The problem isn't with using intuition. The problem is when your intuition comes at the cost of using data or the default way you decide. If your company is like most and choosing to invest significantly in building analytics capability, be aware that the benefits will not be fully realized until the company culture supports data-driven decision-making. Here are the seven characteristics of a data-driven culture and practical steps every leader can take to architect culture. The value of data-driven decisions Advances in technology create a significant advantage for organizations that can leverage data to make better decisions and take the right actions. Data-driven decision-making (DDDM) has become somewhat of a buzzword as many leaders and organizations aim to be data-driven. A good working definition of what it means to embrace data-driven decision-making is: Using facts extracted from data and metrics to guide business decisions that support business goals rather than relying on experience, intuition, and stories alone. A study involving more than 1000 executive leaders demonstrated that 80% of organizations with a mature approach to data analytics exceeded their goals, and 48% significantly exceeded their goals. Making data-driven decisions is not the only way leaders can succeed. However, there are many advantages, such as: Enhanced decision speed and sophistication. In a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous digital workplace, leaders need to find insights and speed matters. Businesses need to make good decisions quickly. A better understanding of what is and is not working. Testing and data collection enable leaders to fail fast and learn from making decisions. Reduced costs and increased revenue. Using data enables organizations to optimize operations. Predictive analytics goes one step further, allowing organizations to transform during market change quickly. Improving strategic foresight . The goal is not to predict the future but enable better decision-making and preparedness so that leaders can grow revenue amid uncertainty. Data-driven decisions can be descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive. While understanding why something happened and what will happen is helpful. Understanding what should be done provides the most significant organizational value. The following video gives a real-world example from Google of how businesses can make better data-driven people decisions . Seven Data-Driven Culture Characteristics A recent 2021 Fortune 1000 executive leaders survey revealed that 99% are investing in data initiatives to transform their companies. These investments in technology are producing a deluge of available data within companies. But are these investments leading to better decisions? According to this same report, 96% of executives report that they are achieving measurable business outcomes. However, these leaders identify culture as the most significant deterrent to becoming a data-driven organization. "Culture is more powerful than anything else in the organization," and often why good management ideas fail." Upadhyay & Kumar To maximize data, analytics, and AI value, organizations need a data-driven culture orientation. However, this represents a sizable shift for many cultures that often rely on stories and experience to make decisions. Here are seven attributes and behaviors of employees working you would expect in a data-driven culture:⁠ Characteristic #1: Desiring to find the truth W. Edwards Deming is attributed as saying, "in God we trust. All others must bring data." This saying is something you would likely hear in a data-driven culture about using data to find the truth without bias. When seeking truth, employees are often surprised, and it sometimes leads to politically incorrect actions that result in innovation. Characteristic #2: Looking for patterns and root causes Data-driven cultures aggregate data to identify patterns that can lead to predictions and root causes. In a data-driven culture, problems are considered symptoms of deeper issues rather than being 'swept under the rug.' Identifying root causes protects the business from recurring systemic errors. Characteristic #3: Developing detail-oriented analysis Averages are considered flawed and a distortion of truth in data-driven cultures because averages ignore inevitable variations. Granular data is used for decision-making. A detail-oriented analysis allows stakeholders to determine causation more effectively and present solid arguments for decisions. Characteristic #4: Using data to analyze questions Stories and anecdotal evidence provide a personal connection, but alone, they are not often representative. Data-driven cultures use data to tell stories and make decisions. Data stories are the annotations of crucial data insights. Characteristic #5: Appreciating both positive and negative findings in the data Finding out something doesn't work is just as valuable as finding data that supports an idea. Data-driven cultures adopt an experimentation mindset and seek to learn from the data about predictions. "The unexamined decision isn't worth making." Davenport Characteristic #6: Making decisions and following through on actions Power and politics are not driving forces in a data-driven decision-making culture. Emphasis is on the value of results from decisions rather than a confirmation of senior leadership ideas. Authority is vested in the data quality rather than the positional power of the person with the data. Characteristic #7: Being realistic about when and where to use data analytics Data-driven cultures are practical about the need for velocity, veracity, volume, and variety of data before making decisions. Decisions are based on experience and available data and avoid analysis paralysis. "Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Drucker If you recognize your culture doesn't demonstrate the seven characteristics of a data-driven culture, you will want to work on architecting the desired culture ahead of or in parallel with your data analytics investments. How to architect a data-driven culture orientation Organizational culture is the one thing that influences every aspect of a business. It directly impacts organizational success, employees, customers, and communities. An organization's underlying cultural values affect employees' behaviors and decisions. Executive-level sponsorship is vital for investments in data analytics. However, leaders at all levels play a vital role in shaping organizational culture in business . Organizations are likely to resist the need for culture change. Although architecting corporate culture is challenging, changes often don't require considerable investments or physically co-located employees. Leaders can leverage the following primary and secondary actions and tools for leaders to embed the desired culture: Primary Actions and Tools Pay attention to metrics that matter and provide regular updates Respond to organizational crises with data Allocate resources to support data-driven decision making Provide data analytics training and development Provide rewards and recognition for data-driven decision making Make selection, promotion, and termination decisions in support of data-driven decisions Manage change created by shifting to data-driven decision-making Secondary Actions and Tools Organization design Policies and procedures Rituals and events Workspaces Traditions and stories Vision and mission statements Organizational culture varies to some extent across teams, departments, and geographies. When designing a data-driven culture , it is best to understand your culture at a granular level. You will need a data-driven,  actionable measure of your current and preferred company culture to do this . What's the real data-driven decision-making challenge? References: Bartlett, R. (2013). A practitioner's guide to data analytics: Using data analysis to improve your organization's decision-making and strategy. McGraw-Hill. New York. Davenport, T., Harris, J., & Morison, R. (2010). Analytics at work: Smarter decisions, better results. Harvard Business Press. MA. Deloitte. (2019). Deloitte survey: Analytics and data-driven culture help companies outperform business goals in the age of with’. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/press-releases/deloitte-survey-analytics-and-ai-driven-enterprises-thrive.html Greenstein, B., & Rao, A., (2022). PwC 2022 AI Business Survey. PWC. Upadhyay, P., & Kumar, A. (2020). The intermediating role of organizational culture and internal analytical knowledge between the capability of big data analytics and a firm’s performance. International Journal of Information Management, 52 , 102100.

What does it take to foster organizational commitment in an uncertain world? Marginal commitment might be the new normal, but that doesn’t mean it has to be your reality. As industries worldwide face increasing instability, businesses justify layoffs and downsizing with, “It’s not personal, it’s business.” In response, employees in a stable, low-unemployment economy say, “It’s not personal. I have to make difficult decisions for my family and career.” This dynamic exposes a critical truth for leaders: a committed team is no longer just a competitive advantage—it’s the foundation for navigating uncertainty and thriving. Weak leaders may deflect blame onto employees for their lack of commitment, but exceptional leaders take ownership and know that building loyalty is their responsibility. Here are three powerful accelerators to foster organizational commitment, maximize business value, and position your company as uber-attractive to employees. Why Organizational Commitment Matters Organizational commitment benefits employees, teams, and their companies. Evidence links higher levels of organizational commitment with: Increased employee productivity Increased revenue Increased employee retention Decreased operating costs Decreased absenteeism In addition to increasing expected behavior, organizational commitment unlocks discretionary effort. Evidence suggests that committed employees are more likely to contribute in unexpected ways. Discretionary effort or organizational citizenship behavior is considered the ultimate type of performance. For example, two employees walking down a hall see a piece of paper on the floor, but only one employee stops to pick it up. Even though it is neither an employee's job nor responsibility. When an employee goes beyond what is expected for the benefit of your organization without being asked, that is discretionary effort. What is Organizational Commitment? Organizational commitment is employee dedication, which results in their intent to stay with their current organization. The Three-Component Model is one of the most popular ways to describe organizational commitment. This framework suggests there are three distinct types of organizational commitment: Affective commitment: An employee's emotional attachment toward the organization. Continuance commitment: An employee's belief that leaving the organization would be too costly (golden handcuffs). Normative commitment: An employee's feeling of obligation to stay because it is the right thing to do. Recognizing that the degree of commitment depends on multiple factors the individual defines is essential. For example, consider an employee working for a family-run business with a strong culture and attractive long-term incentives. In this situation, the employee would likely have affective commitment, being happy about staying in the company, but also continuance commitment because they don't want to give up the long-term benefits that the job provides. Finally, given the nature of the job, the individual would feel an obligation to the family, which would lead to normative commitment. What influences organizational commitment? Research has identified various factors that affect the direction and strength of organizational commitment, such as: Job satisfaction Have you ever wondered if your job is right for you? Job satisfaction is your positive or negative feelings and emotions toward your work. When employees commit more to their organization, they are more likely to experience a greater sense of job satisfaction. Studies have demonstrated that satisfied employees are more productive, have higher retention rates, increase company revenue, and lower costs. Employee Empowerment Many leaders can achieve their goals and even increase company revenue. But, in a world of constant change, organizations and leaders need employees who proactively engage in problem-solving, change, innovation, and challenging the status quo. Senior leaders need followers who take charge to create a competitive advantage. Evidence suggests a positive correlation between employee emotional and psychological empowerment , job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Workplace Stress Role ambiguity and conflict are two typical workplace stressors linked to employee burnout. Role ambiguity refers to unclear roles and responsibilities, while role conflict means starting your day feeling you cannot win. Research suggests that organizational commitment moderates workplace stressors. When leaders build organizational commitment within the workforce, workplace stressors have a lesser effect on employee stress levels and burnout. Organizational Commitment Accelerators Here are a few practical steps leaders can take today to accelerate organizational commitment within their team without breaking the bank. Accelerator 1: Leadership style How you lead matters. Compelling evidence indicates that how you lead moderates organizational commitment and results. For example, Laissez-faire leadership has a negative correlation with organizational commitment. Laissez-faire leadership is where leaders let employees do as they wish. I also call these country club leaders. They want everyone to like them, so they avoid difficult conversations. Servant leadership is an example of a leadership style that increases leader and follower commitment, yielding increased intrinsic motivation that amplifies workforce alignment and business strategy benefits. Servant leaders serve others. When employees feel supported by leadership, it significantly enhances organizational commitment. Humility is a core characteristic of a servant leader. You can show humility and vulnerability in challenging conversations by: Being transparent: Keep the conversation genuine, especially when it involves your mistakes. This does not mean sharing personal secrets. Asking for feedback and being willing to learn: Vulnerability is about being weak to defend your point of view and desiring to listen and learn something new. Putting followers first: It is not about winning or having the best answer but caring so much about followers and the desired outcome of the conversation that you are willing to risk failing. Demonstrating selfless love: Selfless love is to will the good of another. As a leader, being vulnerable in a difficult conversation requires showing self-awareness, empathy, and compassion rather than speaking from positional power. Taking action. Difficult conversations are costly when neglected. After you check your motivation, vision, and paradigm for effect, you will want to consider the conversation's what, where, how, and when. Take this free leadership style quiz to identify your tendency to be a servant leader. Accelerator 2: Organizational Culture A recent study suggests organizational culture is the most potent driver behind the Great Resignation. No leader strives to create a toxic culture . However, when a gap exists between perceived and stated values, the employee's organizational commitment suffers. Especially when the disconnect involves values that are people-oriented or ethical behavior, you can architect a positive company culture that accelerates organizational commitment by: Being the change: Demonstrate good behavior and ask for feedback from followers about what you do that bothers them. Evaluate the ethical consequences of your decisions and create an open-door policy allowing employees to provide input where their voices and concerns can be heard. Architecting a positive culture: Hire and fire employees to create and reinforce the desired company culture. Share stories about how followers should respond in different situations and the costs when they don't. Reinforce and communicate the importance of trust and teamwork—reward employees who live the desired culture. Accelerator 3: Development Opportunities Opportunities to participate in training improve skills, job performance, feelings of self-worth, and affective commitment to the organization. Development doesn't have to take the form of sending an employee to an expensive conference to accelerate organizational commitment. Simply letting employees practice and try new tasks or take reasonable risks and make decisions positively affects organizational commitment. Here are a few additional lower-cost, high-impact development opportunities : Coaching : Use existing coaching relationships to provide employee development feedback. Coaching with a development focus leads to improved morale and overall productivity. Social media: Integrating social media and networking into ongoing development is an inexpensive means of supporting employee development. Employee Networks: These networks create an inclusive environment, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to collaborate toward mastery. Mentoring: Mentoring creates a reciprocal and collaborative relationship that improves employee performance, sense of value, retention, and internal career progression. Depending on your situation, these organizational commitment accelerators may be the most important, or you may need to work on others. Building organizational commitment takes time, but taking steps in this direction is good for everyone—you, your employees, and your customers. What is your real organizational commitment challenge? References Ahmad, & Oranye, N. (2010). Empowerment, job satisfaction and organizational commitment: a comparative analysis of nurses working in Malaysia and England. Journal of Nursing Management , 18 (5), 582–591. Bulut, C., & Culha, O. (2010). The effects of organizational training on organizational commitment. International journal of training and development , 14 (4), 309-322. Caillier, J. G. (2013). Satisfaction With Work-Life Benefits and Organizational Commitment/Job Involvement: Is There a Connection? Review of Public Personnel Administration , 33 (4), 340–364. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. King, R., Sethi, V. The moderating effect of organizational commitment on burnout in information systems professionals. Eur J Inf Syst 6, 86–96 (1997). Meyer, J.P., & Allen, N.J. (1997). Commitment in the workplace: Theory, research and application. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Ortega-Parra, & Ángel Sastre-Castillo, M. (2013). Impact of perceived corporate culture on organizational commitment. Management Decision , 51 (5), 1071–1083. Ramdani Bayu Putra, & Hasmaynelis Fitri. (2021). The Effects of Mediating Job Satisfaction on Organizational Citizenship Behaviors with Servant Leadership and Human Relations as Antecedent Variables. Andalas Management Review , 5 (1). Walumbwa, F., Hartnell, C., & Oke, A. (2010). Servant-leadership, procedural justice climate, service climate, employee attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: A cross-level investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95 (3).

I wish I had more balance in my life. Sound familiar? Many leaders I speak with have tossed in the towel on managing work-life boundaries. However, the evidence is clear that poorly managed boundary expectations contribute to increased stress, an absence of joy, and broken relationships. Finding focus in today's distraction economy isn't just about where or when you work best but understanding how. Successful leaders know how they work best and consider the different needs of their team. This is not one time to follow the golden rule and treat your team as you would want to be treated. Managing work-life boundaries helps you and your team perform better and reduces feelings of busyness. Here are the four fundamental work-life boundary styles, a quiz to help you find your preferred style, and eight tips toward instantly improving your boundary management. Discover your preferred work-life boundary management style The following short survey can help you become more aware of your boundary management style. The survey measures how you perceive boundary control, manage interruptions, balance personal and professional, technology dependence, and time for yourself. Why it's time to establish better work-life boundary habits Healthy leader-follower relationships are based on trust and respect. Don't assume you know your team's boundary management styles. It is best to apply the platinum rule regarding work-life boundary management. Do unto others as they would want to be done. The following are some tips you can use with your team: Demonstrate respect by getting to know your team's boundary management styles. You may want your team to read this blog and use it as a topic for discussion in your next team meeting or one-to-one. Engage your team in a conversation about the organizational culture and their work-life boundary management style. Where is there alignment, and where are there opportunities to be better? Evidence from multiple studies reveals that blurred boundaries negatively impact the well-being of leaders and employees. When leaders fail to schedule priorities and expectations successfully, it often results in feelings of regret or distress. How leaders and employees manage boundaries has consequences on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and business results. Leaders, followers, organizations, and communities benefit from healthy work-life boundary management habits. Personal Example: Early in my career, I had an opportunity to include my family in a Leadership 360 survey as part of a leadership development program I was taking through my work. My first reaction was to question the value I could get from an online survey about my work performance that involved my family. I knew my family loved me and felt we had open communication. I also debated sending it to my son, given his young age. However, wanting more feedback , I decided to go ahead and send my family the survey. Surprisingly, I learned about hidden strengths and blind spots important to my family . One survey comment I remember from my son was that his dad was always on his mobile device. Yes, it hurt to read that I had a blind spot about dropping the ball on a critical relationship. My first private response as I read the comment was defensive and to challenge the comment. The reality at the time was that my work responsibilities had expanded significantly. I went from site leadership responsibilities to having a team across multiple regions. Also, my young family was growing older and wanted more time from their dad. I failed to consider the impact of growing needs at home and the growing needs at work. Thankfully, my lack of boundary management awareness didn't cost me a relationship, and I could course-correct. I learned an important lesson. Just because you are not hearing concerns or seeing the negative impacts of mismanaging work-life boundaries doesn't mean everything is OK. 4 Boundary management styles Does work-life separation or integration lead to achieving balance? The answer is that it varies by individual. The better you understand your preferred boundary management style and the style of others, the better you can manage personal work-life boundaries and adapt your leadership to the needs of your team. There are four main work-life boundary styles: Integrators make themselves constantly available to work and life needs. Integrators enjoy the freedom of blending their work life and non-work life. They move back and forth between the two as needed. Taking a work call after dinner is OK for an integrator if they can also run an errand during work hours. Cyclers bounce back and forth between periods of solid separation and times of full integration. Separators divide their time and attention between either work or life needs. They set a hard line between personal and professional roles. When they are off the clock, they are done with work. They don't do well with after-work hours work and emails or calls. Hybrid role-first styles have a defined work- or life-first identity, allowing one identity to trump the other. This style can be integrators, cyclers, or separators with a specific hybrid. If you are a work-first hybrid, you will shift work hours or move family events to accommodate work. 8 Tips to better work-life boundary management Generally, individuals with low scores for boundary control are focused on life or work priorities rather than life and work priorities, and either success or significance is sacrificed. If you received a low score on the Work-Life Boundary Management Checker, taking the following suggestions could improve your low boundary control scores: Use separate devices for work and non-work activities. Turn off alerts from devices during periods. Use the Do Not Disturb option on your IOS device to silence notifications. Restrict access to work and non-work social media access at different times. Use physical space to create separation between activities. Many of us work from home, at least part of the time. To help keep work at work, use a separate location for work to the greatest extent possible. Block time in your calendar for work and non-work priorities Add time buffers to your calendar to create a transition between work and non-work activities. A commute builds a natural buffer. Create a regular check-in with an accountability partner for support, feedback, and encouragement. Hire an executive coach . Given that the ultimate goal of coaching is personal change, the process uses essential questions and client-centered critical thinking to invoke self-awareness and individual responsibility with work-life boundaries. Conclusion: Managing Work-Life Boundaries Taking a work-life separation or integration approach is not always the answer. However, not committing to managing personal and professional expectations leads to increased stress, feelings of busyness, a lack of joy, and broken relationships. Effective leaders manage personal work-life boundaries and lead in alignment with their team's needs. Let's discuss how our transformational executive coaching and organizational consulting solutions can help you achieve your goals. References: Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Foucreault, A., Ollier-Malaterre, A., & Ménard, J. (2018). Organizational culture and work-life integration: A barrier to employees' respite? International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(16), 2378-2398. Kossek, E. E. (2016). Managing work-life boundaries in the digital age. Organizational Dynamics, 45(3), 258-270.

Our world has changed, and the hybrid workplace with work-from-home opportunities is part of a new normal. For many of us, going to the "office" has taken on a new meaning. Companies that require employees to be on-site full-time are finding it harder to hire employees as competitors are offering flexibility. Technology enables individuals and teams to work collaboratively remotely. There is no need to ask if you should use virtual coaching. Instead, a better question is, how can you develop quality coaching relationships through technology? A quick Google search on the effectiveness of virtual coaching makes it appear as if virtual coaching is just as effective as face-to-face coaching. However, most of those articles are authored by virtual coaching organizations using their data. Here is what peer-reviewed research contributes to the discussion on the effectiveness of virtual coaching. What is virtual coaching? Virtual coaching is often used interchangeably with e-coaching, distance coaching, online coaching, and remote coaching. Like in-person coaching, there is a general lack of consensus on its meaning. Virtual coaching is a technology-facilitated partnership between a coach and client to maximize the clients' personal and professional potential. Virtual coaching can include asynchronous communications, such as email and text messaging through a virtual coaching app, and synchronous such as voice and video communications, that provide immediate feedback with a coach. Asynchronous - means not existing or happening at the same time Synchronous - means existing or occurring at the same time Independent researchers have concluded that, like in-person coaching , virtual coaching improves learning, goal achievement, and work-life balance. Evidence suggests that the primary benefits of virtual coaching are added convenience, service, and support over traditional face-to-face coaching. Virtual Coaching Benefit #1: Accessibility Accessibility is likely one of the most significant benefits associated with virtual coaching, especially for global organizations and times when offices need to close. Technology enables the coach and client to connect, whether in different places within the same building or worldwide. Also, a digital environment improves access to tools supporting goal setting, coaching preparation, and progress tracking. Virtual Coaching Benefit #2: Availability Virtual technology platforms enable the coach to be brought into just-in-time and rapid-response situations or situations like cross-cultural coaching goals. Also, both the coach and client benefit from the flexibility and administrative ease in scheduling. Virtual Coaching Benefit #3: Affordability You have probably heard it said that time is money. Affordability improves through reduced travel and associated time out of the office costs. Although these benefits are very advantageous, the research does not support replacing face-to-face coaching with virtual coaching. In reality, in-person and virtual coaching have pros and cons. What are the top challenges with virtual coaching? It probably goes without needing scientific research to recognize that face-to-face communication is the most effective medium of communication. In reality, many people have some hesitation or even resistance to using virtual coaching. Numerous studies have shown that different mediums of communication have varying degrees of effectiveness in supporting in-the-moment feedback, information sharing, communication cues, emotions, and customization of the message. Although evidence suggests that the challenges with the lack of multiple cues and sharing emotions could be moderated by a skilled virtual coach, it is best to look at each client's situation and needs uniquely rather than a one size fits all strategy. A key is assessing the coaching situation and context to determine the best use for virtual coaching. How to know if you are a good fit for virtual coaching Virtual coaching is not for everyone and is not a fit for every coaching goal. So how do you know if it is a good fit for you? Coaching clients using virtual coaching need to have the competence and confidence to be coached in a digital environment. Research indicates that virtual coaching requires a more significant commitment and accountability from the client. It is also best if you are self-confident with the use of the virtual coaching platform. Your personality plays a role in whether virtual coaching is a good fit. Multiple studies conclude that clients with a higher degree of extroversion have stronger preferences and success with face-to-face coaching versus virtual coaching. Your environment moderates the effectiveness of virtual coaching. Having a location free from distractions, dogs barking, and the temptation of multitasking improves coaching effectiveness. It is important to take an honest assessment of your motivation, desire, confidence, competence, access to technology, and environment to understand if you are a good fit for virtual coaching. Here is a free quiz you can use to help you discover if you are a good fit for virtual coaching. What makes for an excellent virtual coach? Coaching does not have to be face-to-face to be personalized and effective. Evidence suggests that virtual coaching and face-to-face coaching are equally effective when it's a good fit for you and the coach. Here are a few of the attributes you should consider when hiring a virtual coach: Virtual Coach Attribute #1: Qualification A good virtual coach is a trained and qualified coach. Coaching is a skill, and the International Coaching Federation ( ICF ) is a globally recognized association with evidence-based competency and code of ethics certification requirements. Virtual Coach Attribute #2: Education What the coach knows matters. Evidence suggests that an academic background in a field like psychology enhances executive coaching outcomes such as the client's self-awareness and leadership performance. Virtual Coach Attribute #3: Virtual Technology Competence Just like your fit matters, the technical competence of the coach moderates the effectiveness of virtual coaching. An excellent virtual coach has the ability to: Operate the tools and functions of collaborative technology. Effectively interact to perform a task or solve a problem using technology. Manage and provide support on how to use the technology and interact effectively. Select and organize virtual tools in a way that optimizes interaction and best supports activity management. The ability to dynamically design the environment based on emerging collaborative and cognitive requirements. References: Ahrend, G., Diamond, F., & Webber, P. G. (2010). Virtual coaching: Using technology to boost performance. Chief Learning Officer, 9,44–47. Berry, R. M., Ashby, J. S., Gnilka, P. B., & Matheny, K. B. (2011). A comparison of face-to-face and distance coaching practices: Coaches’ perceptions of the role of working alliance in problem resolution. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 63, 243–253. Charbonneau, M.A (2002). Participant self-perception about the cause of behavior change from a program of executive coaching. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Alliant International University, Los Angeles, CA. Cornelius, C., Schumann, G., & Boos, M. (2009). Time and goal-management for junior researchers: Evaluation of online coaching. Organisationsberatung, Supervision, Coaching, 16, 54–65. Frazee, R.V. (2008). E-coaching in organizations. A study of features, practices, and determinants of use. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, San Diego University, USA Ghods, N. (2009). Distance coaching: The relationship between coach-client relationship, client satisfaction, and coaching outcomes. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, San Diego University, USA Hamilton, B. A., & Scandura, T. A. (2003). Implications for organizational learning and development in a wired world. Organizational Dynamics, 31 (4), 388–402. Hernez-Broome, G., Boyce, L. A., & Ely, K. (2009). The coaching relationship: A glimpse into the black box of coaching. In L. A. Boyce & G. Hernez-Broome (Chair), The client-coach relationship: Examining a critical component of successful coaching. Symposium conducted at the 24th Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA. Hernez-Broome, G. & Boyce, L.A. (2010). Advancing Executive Coaching : Setting the Course for Successful Leadership Coaching , edited by Gina Hernez-Broome, and Lisa A. Boyce, Center for Creative Leadership. Hubschman, B. G. (1996). The effect of mentoring electronic mail on student achievement and attitudes in a graduate course in education research (Doctoral dissertation, Florida International University, 1996). Dissertation Abstracts International, 57–08A , 3417. Newberry, B. (2001). Raising student social presence in online classes. World Conference on the WWW and Internet Proceedings, Orlando, FL: ED466611, 2–7. Pascal, A., Sass, M., & Gregory, J. B. (2015, January 12). I’m Only Human: The Role of Technology in Coaching. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. Advance online publication. Sitkin, S., Sutcliffe, K., & Barrios -Choplin, J. (1992). A dual-capacity model of communication media choice in organizations. Human Communication Research, 18 (4), 563–598. Ting, S., & Hart, E. W. (2004). Formal coaching. In C. D. McCauley & E. Van Velsor (Eds.), The Center for Creative Leadership handbook of leadership development (pp. 116–150), San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Trevino, L., Lengel R., & Daft R. (1987). Media symbolism, media richness, and media choice in organizations. Communications Research, 14 (5), 553–574. Wang, L., & Wentling, T. L. (2001, February–March). The relationship between distance coaching and the transfer of training. Paper presented at the Academy of Human Resource Development, Tulsa, OK.

Can a simple act of kindness from a leader transform workplace culture and drive exceptional performance? I had just started a new position in Nebraska. We left family back in Illinois, and a significant snowstorm was approaching. It dumped almost a foot of fresh snow on our house while I was out of town for work. My wife was stranded at home with a new baby, a three-year-old, and a dog. Without me knowing, my leader called my wife to offer to go to the store and pick up groceries in his truck. Although this took place over twenty years ago, I still get emotional thinking about this act of love by my leader. There is no serious debate that well-designed organizations with clear organizational strategies influence desired behaviors, culture, and performance. However, while organizational alignment is essential, it is not sufficient. Evidence suggests love brings out the best in how people think, act, and feel . Unfortunately, this four-letter word is rarely discussed in the workplace. But this is good news if you're a leader looking for a competitive advantage. Here are two practical ways leaders can bring love into the workplace culture and drive exceptional results. The benefits of love in the workplace The well-documented individual and organizational benefits of love include: Intrinsic motivation Increased creativity Discretionary effort Better workplace climate Enhanced employee capacity Enhanced leader-follower alignment Two complex challenges leaders face today are attracting and retaining top talent and creating inclusive workplaces that bring out the best in all employees. Diversity in the world and workplace is increasing. Globalization and technological advances are projected to continue to increase workgroup diversity. This increase in diversity can have many positive workplace effects, such as enhanced performance, creativity, innovation , and decision quality. However, workplace practices rooted in favoritism are costly, leading to increased relational conflict and a lack of team cohesion. In-group favoritism results in actions that favor one group. When leaders demonstrate love, they cultivate an organizational culture where healthy and caring leader-follower relationships break down the adverse effects of in-group and out-group differences. All you have to do is drive down any street or walk through your local retail district to see the signs for help wanted and understand the challenge of attracting and retaining the best and brightest employees. Organizational commitment is a term used to identify an individual with a particular company. Research has directly connected higher levels of organizational commitment with lower employee turnover rates. Studies have demonstrated that love enhances organizational commitment. The following short video from leadership guru Ken Blanchard provides some thoughts on the power of servant leadership in today's workplace. What is selfless love? Selflessness  is being more concerned with the needs and desires of others than with your needs. And one of the best definitions I have come across for love in the workplace comes from St. Thomas Aquinas. "To love is to will the good of the other." St. Thomas Aquinas Selfless love in the workplace is to desire and put into action the will for the good of another ahead of your interest . It is a radically different paradigm from a transactional worldview of the workplace. If you have nine minutes, the following video captures the essence of the meaning behind the definition used by St. Thomas Aquinas. Although the video does not use a workplace example, the intent of willing the good of the other is shown.   The following poem called "Outwitted" by Edwin Markham captures the belief that love creates a radical sense of belonging for everyone: He drew a circle that shut me out—Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But Love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in! Aren't empathy and compassion just different words for love? Empathy, compassion, and love are interrelated, but distinct differences exist. Empathy is the ability to be aware of, feel, and take on the emotions of what another person is experiencing. Empathy plays a vital role in moderating the effects of workplace conflict. Research has linked empathy with forgiveness and healing relationships. The following is a short video from Brene Brown that explains empathy and its value within the workplace. Compassion is an empathic understanding with a desire to help another person. Recent studies into the benefits of compassion at work link it to improved job performance, mental health, and leader-follower relationships. Although having awareness (empathy) and a desire to help (compassion) is essential, the world needs leaders who put the will for the good of others ahead of their interest. Leaders who emphasize love bring out the best in how people think, act, and feel in the workplace, leading to success and significance both personally and professionally. How you can love those you lead The answer for bringing love into the workplace is not hiding in metrics or data within the business- but in your routine practices, you perform automatically in your daily life. A traditional transactional leadership style adopts a top-down view of an organization with the leader on the top. Transactional leadership is based on the belief that employees perform best: within a well-formed chain of command rewards and punishments motivate and following the leader's directives is the employee's primary goal. Transactional leaders give employees something they want in exchange for getting something they want. This leadership style adopts a mental model that workers are not self-motivated and require structure, instruction, and monitoring to achieve organizational goals correctly and on time. In stark contrast, when adopting a selfless love worldview, the leader desires to bring out the best in their followers by giving them the best of themself. A servant leadership style aligns well with selfless love. These servant leadership characteristics are tangible ways for a leader to bring love into the workplace : Listening to self and others Showing empathy Healing self and others Being aware Persuasion and not coercion Conceptual thinking, not linear thinking Applying strategic foresight Stewardship of other's needs Commitment to the development of others Building community Are you a servant leader? Maybe you already understand the basic concepts but are unclear on how servant leadership differs from other contemporary leadership styles. The free Servant Leadership Style Checker answers these questions and provides your Servant Leadership Style Score. Take this free quiz to find out. How to cultivate love in the workplace Love may seem complex and challenging to articulate, much less measure ; however , validated measurement instruments exist. Like competencies and behaviors, love can be developed and embedded within organizational processes for talent management. Also, like competency development, developing love can have various positive consequences for businesses. Virtue and character development should include the following : knowledge transfer reasoning and practice. Selfless love is primarily developed through role modeling with intentional time for feedback and reflection. Feedback is a gift; most people want more feedback on their performance. However, feedback on character gaps is not commonly provided, given the complexity of these conversations. Additionally, most people spend little to no time reflecting on selfless love experiences because of blind spots. A dedicated and skillful executive coach can improve character feedback and purposeful character reflection. Numerous studies have found that dedicated mentors can also support character development by openly reflecting on insights gained from experience. Research supports that organizations can incorporate love development into existing competency development programs. It is not required for organizations to create separate programs focused only on character and virtue development. Great leaders love those they lead to gain a competitive advantage in an uncertain world. What is your real challenge to bringing love into the workplace? References Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Ferris, R. (1988). How organizational love can improve leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 16 (4), 41-51. Greenleaf, R. K., & Spears, L. C. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th-anniversary ed.). Lok, P., & Crawford, J. (2004). The effect of organizational culture and leadership style on job satisfaction and organizational commitment: A cross‐national comparison. The Journal of Management Development, 23 (4), 321-338. Mulinge, P. (2018). ALTRUISM AND ALTRUISTIC LOVE: Intrinsic motivation for servant-leadership. The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 12 (1), 337-370. Patterson, K. (2003). Servant leadership: A theoretical model [PDF]. Seijts, G., Crossan, M., & Carleton, E. (2017). Embedding leader character into HR practices to achieve sustained excellence. Organizational Dynamics, 46 (1), 30-39. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.02.001 Zachary, G. W. (2013). spiritual leadership: Investigating the effects of altruistic love on organizational commitment. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 6 (2), 767.